unreeve
C2Technical, Nautical
Definition
Meaning
To withdraw a rope or line from a block, ring, or thimble.
To remove something that has been threaded or passed through an opening, particularly in nautical, rigging, or technical contexts.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Used almost exclusively in contexts involving ropes, cables, or similar items being passed through a hole or around something. The action is the reverse of 'reeve'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical in both varieties, confined to technical nautical/maritime contexts.
Connotations
Technical and precise; implies a specific skilled action.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language; known primarily within sailing, rigging, and historical reenactment communities.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
unreeve something (from something)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Rare, only in historical or technical papers on sailing/rigging.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Used in sailing instructions, rigging manuals, and by craftspeople (e.g., sailmakers, theatre riggers).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Before lowering the mast, we must unreeve the halyard from the block.
- The old rope was rotten, so they decided to unreeve it completely.
American English
- We had to unreeve the mainsheet from the boom-end sheave.
- After the race, unreeve the spinnaker guy from the turning block.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial use.
American English
- No standard adverbial use.
adjective
British English
- No standard adjectival use.
American English
- No standard adjectival use.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- No typical A2 examples due to highly technical nature.
- No typical B1 examples due to highly technical nature.
- The sailor unreeved the frayed line from the pulley.
- This fitting is designed so you can unreeve the cable without tools.
- To dismantle the traditional rigging, one must carefully unreeve each line from its respective block.
- The procedure mandates you unreeve the damaged cordage before installing the replacement.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'UN-RAVE-EL' but for ropes: To UN-REEVE is to UN-do the threading (reeving) of a rope.
Conceptual Metaphor
REVERSAL OF A THREADING ACTION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid generic translations like 'разматывать' (to unwind) or 'вытягивать' (to pull out). The core is the reversal of a specific threading action.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing with 'unravel' or 'unwind'. Using without a direct object (e.g., 'He unreeved' is incomplete).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would you most likely hear the verb 'unreeve'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The direct opposite is 'reeve', which means to pass a rope or line through a ring, block, or other aperture.
No, it is a highly technical term used almost exclusively in nautical, rigging, sailing, and sometimes theatrical or industrial rope-work contexts.
Very rarely. It might be used in extremely niche figurative ways (e.g., 'unreeve an argument'), but this is not standard and would confuse most listeners.
No. It is a specialist term. Learners should be aware of its existence but are highly unlikely to need to use it actively unless they work in a relevant field.